Boxing legend Muhammad Ali will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 5, as reported by Variety on Monday.
Ali passed away in 2016 and will be inducted by his widow, Lonnie Ali, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ahead of WrestleMania 40. Ali joins Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, and the US Express as the class of 2024 takes shape.
While known for his boxing prowess, microphone skills, and activism, Ali’s influence transcended sports. The three-time world heavyweight champion is no stranger to the WWE as he dabbled in pro wrestling on several occasions.
Ali famously participated in an exhibition with pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki in Tokyo in 1976. ‘The War of the Worlds’ was considered by many as the first fight in what became Mixed Martial Arts.
Before facing Inoki, Ali appeared in a WWF show and challenged Gorilla Monsoon. He then served as a special guest referee at WrestleMania 1 in 1985 as Hulk Hogan and Mr. T faced Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff in the main event.
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on the 5th of April
Ali faced Japanese pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki in an exhibition fight in Tokyo in 1976
Ali appeared as the special guest referee in the main event of WrestleMania 1 in 1985
Ali joins fellow boxing great Mike Tyson as the only boxers to receive the pro wrestling honor
The defining moment in the match was when Ali hit Piper with his signature right hand to restore order to the match.
Widely considered the greatest boxer of all time, Ali won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in 1960 before embarking on his legendary career. With notable victories over Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and George Foreman, Ali finished his career with 56 wins, five losses, and 37 knockouts.
Ali also became known for his activism, particularly when he refused to get drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam War. As a result of his refusal, Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title, fined $10,000 for draft evasion, and suspended from boxing for three years.
He will not be the first boxer to get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as fellow heavyweight great Mike Tyson was inducted in 2012.
Ali passed away at the age of 74 after battling Parkinson’s disease for over three decades. According to family spokesperson Bob Gunnell, the legendary boxer passed away from a ‘septic shock due to unspecified natural causes.’
